GHSA-m4q3-832v-44j6 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.2) Path Traversal vulnerability in wpmetabox/meta-box. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-m4q3-832v-44j6 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Meta Box Plugin for WordPress: Authenticated (Contributor+) Arbitrary File Deletion via ajax_delete_file
Real-World Exposure
wpmetabox/meta-boxReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Packagist packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
The Meta Box plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the 'ajax_delete_file' function in all versions up to, and including, 5.11.1. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file is deleted (such as wp-config.php).
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐘Packagist | wpmetabox/meta-box | all versions | 5.11.2 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for wpmetabox/meta-box. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update wpmetabox/meta-box to 5.11.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-m4q3-832v-44j6 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-m4q3-832v-44j6 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-m4q3-832v-44j6. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-m4q3-832v-44j6 in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-m4q3-832v-44j6 across Packagist dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.